Finance

South Sudan has attracted a lot of investments in the banking sector from the East African region. There are also mushrooming banks locally owned by the South Sudanese themselves.

As of May 2016, the number of commercial banks licensed and rendering banking services in South Sudan as regulated by the Bank of South Sudan is unknown.

However, the banking industry continues to attract a lot of interested players.

Bank of South Sudan

Bank of South Sudan is the regulatory authority of the Banks in South Sudan. The ARCISS 2016 under Chapter IV. Resource, Economic and Financial Managementhighlights the following Institutional reforms expected in the BoSS.

Article 2.1 Bank of South Sudan (BoSS)

2.1.1 The TGoNU shall, within three (3) months of the beginning of the Transition, review legislation governing the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS) with a view to restructure and enable it to render efficient and effective service. This restructuring shall include, but not limited to, the leadership, composition, powers, functions and operations.

2.1.2 The nomenclature of the Bank of South Sudan (BoSS) shall be decided upon the promulgation of the new Constitution.

2.1.3 The Bank of South Sudan shall:

2.1.3.1 Be independent in its statutory and supervisory functions;

2.1.3.2 Be responsible for formulating monetary policy, promoting price stability, issuing currency, regulating the financial sector, and performing other functions conferred upon by the law;

2.1.3.3 Be headed by a competent and appropriately qualified Governor;

2.1.3.5 Have a board of nine (9) members appointed by the President in consultation and agreement with the First Vice President;

2.1.4 Within four (4) months upon the commencement of the Transitional Period, the President shall appoint the Governor of the Bank of South Sudan in consultation and agreement with the First Vice President.

The following financial institutions provide financial and banking products and services in South Sudan. The list is not exhaustive and information will continue being updated as we receive and verify it.

KCB South Sudan Limited was incorporated in December 2005 started operations on 6 March 2006as a wholly owned subsidiary of Kenya Commercial Bank after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the over 20 years of civil war between southerners and the Khartoum government.

It is part of the KCB Group, which comprises of KCB Kenya, KCB Tanzania and Savings and Loan (S&L) Kenya, KCB Uganda Limited, KCB Rwanda and KCB Burundi. It is backed by the financial stability and favourable heritage of Kenya’s longest established banking organization that has been in operation for over 100 years.

The bank South Sudan has its headquarters in Buluk, Juba City. In Juba KCB has branches in Bilpham, Rock City, Juba Town, Malakia and UNMISS compound. KCB operates in all the ten states of South Sudan including Juba, Yambio, Yei, Wau, Malakal, Nimule, Torit, Kwajok, Rumbek, Aweil, Bentiu and Bor.

KCB has physical presence in all the 10 States and enjoys rubust Information Telecommunication Systems. It deals with SSP and all major currencies. It also Customer Care Services.

Equity BankEquity Bank (South Sudan) is a commercial bank in South Sudan that started operations in May 2009. The bank provides banking services to individuals and to small and medium business enterprises. It is one of the commercial banks licensed to operate in the country by the Bank of South Sudan, the central bank and national banking regulator.

It is a a subsidiary of Equity Group Holdings Limited (EGHL, which has other subsidiaries in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda. As of May 2016, the Group's asset base exceeded US$3.83 billion.

Afriland First Bank South Sudan is the seventh subsidiary of First Bank group. It is licensed by the central bank and started on August 18, 2012 at its premises in Hai CINEMA ROAD. This social capital is mostly held by local investors and international companies that are present in this market.

For the management of the bank, First Bank Afriland South Sudan plans to open over 10,000 accounts at the end of the first year and collect a large share of the resources market. By achieving these objectives at the end of the year, Afriland First Bank South Sudan should be ranked in the top 5 South Sudanese banking sector, which currently comprises 17 commercial banks.

The following services are offered to customers: Account Openings SSP and USD; Withdrawals and SSP payments and foreign currency; Compensation and interbank transfers; Local Transfers; Import Financing.

Nile Commercial Bank (NCB) Started operations in South Sudan on 27/6/2006. It has its headquarters in Juba City adjacent to the buffalo Commercial Bank.

The Nile Commercial Bank is a community based national financial institution and is the first indigenous bank operating in South Sudan. To aid the flow of finance into South Sudan, Nile Commercial Bank in March 2006 went in partnership with Stanbic. Together they offer Value Transfer Service that allows transfer of funds for organisations. Through the extensive network in Uganda, Stanbic Bank branches in Koboko, Arua, Adjumani, Moyo, Gulu, Kitgum and Kotido also serve the needs of tons close to the South Sudan Border.

NCB core business is to operate in the field of Commercial Banking providing banking services to personal, business, larger Corporate, Government and NGOs at a profit to the bank. The basic products and services they provide are Current Accounts, Savings Accounts, Investment Accounts, and Telegraphic/Money Transfers, Foreign Exchange transactions, loans letter of credit and guaranties on a selective basis.

International Commercial Bank South Sudan (ICBSS) is a national South Sudanese bank,founded in June 2011 by a group of South Sudanese and international businessmen. It has its headquarters Juba, and is keen on having its presence through a branch network in all the ten states of South Sudan.

Promoted by Southern Sudanese, the Buffalo Commercial Bank Plc. (BCB) started its operations from Juba on 21 February 2008. It has branches at Juba Market Branch, former Faisal Islamic Bank Branch, Juba Town, Juba Wau Branch in Western Barh-el-Ghazal State. Malakal Branch and other state capitals to be opened soon.

BCB offers the following services: Deposit Facility (in SSP, USD and EUR0, Trade Finance, Local and International Remittances,Loans and Advances, International Banking, Foreign Exchange Facility, SWIFT International Transfers

Eden Commercial Bank Plc (ECB) is one of the banking institutions in South Sudan. The bank was registered with the government of South Sudan in June 2011 and licensed to operate by the Central Bank of South Sudan (CBSS) in August 2012. Eden Commercial Bank (ECB) run by South Sudanese and employed over hundred South Sudanese in both Banking and transport services.

ECB services includes banking (personal, business and cooperate), money transfer services (national and international) and transport service (rental).

ECB bank is located at First round about ,Maridi road next to New Tokyo hotel

In January 2013, Eden Commercial Bank (ECB) opened a new branch in Yei, expanding its services beyong the capital of Juba.

Co-operative Bank of South Sudan is a member of the Co-operative Bank of Kenya Group, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with subsidiaries in Kenya and South Sudan.

As of December 2013, the Group’s asset base exceeded US$2.6 billion (KES:231.2 billion), with shareholders’ equity in excess of US$414 million (KES:36.8 billion).

Its services includes: Personnal, corporate and NGO accounts, Loan facilities (Personal Loans, Working Business Loans, Overdrafts and Project Finance), money transfer (Moneygram, Swift transfers and Cash in transit). It also offers Life and General Insurance.

Initially the bank was a subsidiary of Bank of Khartoum which was operating using Islamic Core banking system. Bank of Khartoum established a single subsidiary in Juba town in mid-2010 with the intention of rolling over across the country, but after the independence of South Sudan from the Old Sudan, however the Government of South Sudan exerted much political motivated move to curb Islamic Core Banking in the Country, and thereafter forced Bank of Khartoum to sell 100% ownership in September, 2012 to a British and Malaysians Investors and the investors changed the name of the Bank to Charter1 Bank.

After 2013 Conflict, the foreign investors developed fear of investing in a fragile environment, and thereafter, sold 70% shares to South Sudanese Investor who is currently running the Bank.

SUMI is a vibrant Micro-Finance Institution (MFI) operating in South Sudan since the year 2003. It was established under The Sudan Agricultural Enterprise Finance Program (AEFP) a USAID 5 year (Oct 2002 – Sept 2007) project aimed at improving access to financial services to South Sudanese who are eager to rebuild their lives after the debilitating effects of civil war. The institution is governed by a nine-member board of directors.

SUMI has expanded its operations into Yei, Yambio, Maridi, Rumbek, Juba and Wau. These are the major urban settlements of South Sudan that were initially accessible and economically viable. Consequently, more than 10,000 clients have been recruited and of these clients, 38% are women while 12% are rural.

In January 2009, a request was made by the state owned Commercial Bank of Ethiopia to start its banking operations in the Republic of South Sudan. On January 18, 2009, the Public Financial Enterprises Supervisory Agency (PFESA) has approved 15 million dollars and has given the green light for CBE's request. As per the banking regulations of the South Sudan, a minimum of 15 million dollars establishment capital for foreign firms to enter the industry in its territory.

The CBE-Southern Sudan Ltd. Juba Branch was opened in the capital city of Juba. The branch is operational since June 22, 2009.